The ceremonial law
The ritual or ceremonial law, delivered by Moses to the children of Israel, containing all the commands and ordinances which related to the old sacrifices and the service of the temple, our Lord did indeed come to destroy, to dissolve, and utterly to abolish. All the apostles bear witness to this. Not only Barnabas and Paul, who strongly withstood those who taught that Christians ought to keep the law of Moses. Not only Saint Peter, who called the insisting on this, on the observance of the ritual law, a tempting of God, and a putting of a yoke on the neck of the disciples (Acts 15:10) which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear. But all the apostles, elders, and brothers, assembled with one accord, declared that to command them to keep this law was to subvert their souls (Acts 15:24), and that it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to them (Acts 15:28) to lay no such burden on them. This handwriting of ordinances our Lord did blot out, take away, and nail to his cross (Colossians 2:14).
1771 text
The ritual or ceremonial law, delivered by Moses to the children of Israel, containing all the injunctions and ordinances which related to the old sacrifices and service of the temple, our Lord indeed did come to destroy, to dissolve and utterly abolish. To this bear all the apostles witness: not only Barnabas and Paul, who vehemently withstood those who taught, that Christians ought to keep the law of Moses; not only St. Peter, who termed the insisting on this, on the observance of the ritual law, a tempting God, and putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers, saith he, nor we were able to bear: but all the apostles, elders and brethren, being assembled with one accord, declared, that to command them to keep this law, was to subvert their souls; and that it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to them, to lay no such burthen upon them. This hand-writing of ordinances our Lord did blot out, take away and nail to his cross.
About this text
Rendered in modern English, to be read and heard. Open the 1771 text under each part to check the claims and the scripture.
Rendered in modern English. The 1771 panel is his own Pine printing of the Works. It is public domain.
Catalogue & scope
Sermon 25 in the 1771 Works. Matthew 5:17-20.
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. It is not a complete critical edition.